Gearing for washing-machines.



l. L'. COFHELD.

GEARING FR WASHING MACHlNES.

APPLecAnoN FILED ocr* 9, new,

1,370, 3?'9. Y Patented June 25, 1918.

3 SHEETS--SHEET1.

S. L. CFFIELD.

BEARING FOR WASHING MACHlNFS.

'APPLICATiOM HLEU OC. 9, 19H.

Patened June 25, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

aucune? chine an y thereafter, t e removal of the working partsV nuns L. corrmLD, or DAYTON, omo.

GEARING FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

Application illed October 9, 1917.

To all inkom 'it may concern Be it `known that I 'JAMES L. Corman, a citizen of the United `tates, residing at Dayton in the county of Montgomery and State of hio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing for Washing- Machines, ofwhich the following is a specilisation.

Thisinvention' relates to a new and useful form and arrangement of driving gear for Washing machines, and to the washing cylinder i clothes receptacle. The object of the injtion is to provide a gearing which is Simp ed and compnet in its arrangement, it beingessential to concentrate the gearing as eompactly as possible to enhance the appearaneeof the machine as well to simplify details.` In carrying ont this object and purpose one of the side frames is especially constructed with a view to locating the reduction gear on the' inside of the frame and closely adjacent thereto while the power transmission Shaft and the gears therewith associated are located on the outside of the frame closely adjacent thereto. This ar- -rang ent of the driving gear avoids any cumbersome aspects and enhances the ap- Eearanee of the washing machine a whole y avoiding any unsymmetrical protuberanees or outlying elements and thereby ren- Aders the machine satisfactory, both as to The mounting of elliciency and appearance. the driving mechanism wholly on one of the side frames has decided advantages. This side frame holds all the working parts in true alinement, and the wear is therefore reduced to a minimum and eflicieney is greatly enhanced. The operating mechanism constructed and arranged in this way is easily assembled as a unit on one side frame. This facilitatesthe machining and assemblin in the manufacture of the.. ma-

rovides for an easy handling and the replacement of parts in case of wear `beingcomp aratively easy owing to the entire driving gea,` being located on one side frame as before stated. v

Preeeding a detailed description of the invention, reference in general terms is made to `the aeeompan ing drawings,of` which Figurel is a si e elevationA of a Washing machine equipped and construe d in accord-l ance with the improvements em odied in my invention. Fig. 2 'ish a front -elevation thereof, Fig. 3 is a ragiaentaiyfeadeome- Speclilcaton of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Serial No. 195,631.

what enlarged section of a portion of the side frame and the driving gear mounted thereon, including the reduction gear which lies on the inner side of the frame and the power transmission gear which lies on the outer side of said frame, both being closely adjacent to the frame. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the washing cylinder which is driven through means of said gearing, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the end of said washing cylinder with which the driving gear is connected.

In a more articular description of the invention similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts both in the description and the drawings.

The supportingmfranie of the machine is of an open work character consisting of side frame members 1 and 2 which are united by suitable cross frame members 3, 4 and 5, the whole being designed to be light and rigid as well as symmetrical in appearance. The clothes receptacle consists of a cylinder 6, the journals 7 of which have bearings in corresponding portions of the side frame members 1 and 2, the ends of said cylinder having attached thereto spiders or frames S from which the journals 7 project in reaching their bearings. The interior of the cylirlder 6 is provided with a longitudinal rib 19 1which forms an obstruction or barrier, the effect of which is to throw the clothes (from one side to the other into the suds al the cylinder 6 is oscillated. This rib or obruetion 9 is essential] of a rounded forni and devoid of sha edges in order to avoid injuring the clot es during the operation id. to avoid tying or knottin the clothes y they are moved over the pro] ection. The rib 9 being of the form or contour shdwn in the drawings has the effect of throiw` g the clothes into the suds from one sid to the other in a more open or separatediccmdition which is highly desirable both for the reason that the clothes are revented from bein torn or injured during the operation o washing and are maintained in a more open condition. There are also provided on the interiorof the cylinder 6 a series of longitudinal ribs 10 of Substantially smaller form, but of rounded.form` also, these ribs being designed to istrengthen or brace the cylinder. AQ door r1.1'fispl'ovided at the top of the cylinder 6j witha Suitable handle ,12 b which it `is removed andreplaed. The si e freine member 2 is more especially constructed with y The gear 29 is fixed to the shaft a view to supporting the driving mechanism which is compactly distributed ou both Aaldea thereof, The' motor 13 is located on the inner side of the frame member 2 by means of a suitable bracket 14 which is in turn supported on the cross frame members 4 and 5. The .shaft of the mot-or carries a pulley 15 which drives :i belt 1G through which power is transniitted to a larger pulley 17, the .journal 18 ot' which is provided with a bearing' located also on the inner side of the frame member 2 in a. skeleton housing 1.9 which is a part of the side frame const ruction. An angular lever 2O is fulerumed at 21 on the inner side. of the frame member 3 which carries a beltV tightener 22 on one arm engaging thc belt vlt and a spring is cow nected to the other arm ot' Said lever. the tension of which maintains the tightener 22 against the belt 16 with sutlicient pressure to drive the pulley 1T. Any momentary relaxatiou of the belt tightener interrupts the transmission ot.' the power from thtl motor. The journal or stud Shaft 18 ofthe pulley 1i' carries a small gear or pinion 2l which meshes with a larger gear 25, both fears 'Lt-l and 25 being positioned on the interior of the offset or skeleton frame 19 or within the confines of the side frame 2. The stud shaft 26 of the gear is journaled in a bearing.; 27 which extends from the skeleton frame l!) and carries a bevel gear 28, through which an upright transmission .shaft- 30 is driven, there being a similar gear 2t) on the lower end of said shaft 30 which in mesh with the gear at E28. The shaft 30, it will be oh served, lies relatively close to the side frame 2 and on the outer side thereof. being su pported in a bearing 31 on the skeleton frame 19 at its lower end and in a bearing 3Q projecting from the side frame 2 at its upper end. The said shaft 30 carries at its upper end a bevel gear 33 having an extension 3l which lies in the bearing 32 and is provided on its upper end with a clutch member 35. StL but gear 33 is loose upon said Shaft 50. The shaft 30 extends upwardlyr and a clutch member 36 which cooperates with the clutch member 35 is mounted on said shaft 30.` The clutch member 3G has slidable movement on the said shaft 30, but rotates therewith by being splined thereto. The clutch member 86 is operated by a clutch shifter consistingr of a yoke 37 which spans the body of the clutch member 36 and is provided with pins 38 which enter a peripheral groove 3!) in the body of the clutch member 36. The voke 37 is pivoted to the side frame at 4t) and eX- tended therefrom is annperating lever 41 through whic'i the shiftable clutch member 36 1s operated.to release or engage the clutch member 35. lVhen the clutch member 35 is thus engaged the gear 33 is caused to rotate with the shaft 30 and to drive the washing cylinder t5. When the clutch membersl are released as in Fig. 3, the operatirm of the washing cylinder ceases. The. gear 33 meshes With a similar bevel gear 4:2 on a short or stud Shaft 43 which journaled in a bearing provided in an 'adjacent' part of the side frame 2. The connect ion between the shaft. 43 and the washing cylinder 6 consie-ts of a crank 44 one end of which is fixed to the shaft 4.3, and a connect ing rod t5 one end of Vwhich is pi voted to the crank l1 and the other end of which is connected by a pivot 1lb to a portion of the spider 8 on one cud of the washing cylinder. it will be seen that as the gear 42 rotates an oscillatory movement. is imparted to the cylinder which causes the clotliea therein to be thrown back and forth fron.- ;nie side to the other of the cylinder. 1What may be termed a shack absorber is provided for the shaft 4'? to pre vent sudden jerks being imparted to the cylinder or au irregular movement, This device consistsl of projeetioi'is 47 extending from the base of the grr-ar L112 or fixed to the khatt lf3 on the ont-sid(- of the frame 1?.. 'Fliese projet-tions li" are in [he forni of wipers, which engage during the rotation ot' the gear, the concavutl surface 48 of an arm 49. The .firm 49 is pivoted to the outside of the frame 2 at .30 and the outer end of .said arm has an openingr therein which receives a rod 51 which is Asecured to the frame 2 between lugs 52. Arranged between the lugs 52 are upper and lower coil springs which provide cushions or a means of yielding resistance to the arm 19 as the gear 42 rotates and the wipers or projections 47 engage the concaved surface 4S of said arm. The ma chine in its entirety i5 supported upon suitable casters 54. The several gears together with the clutch which are on the outer side ofthe frame Q a re suitably incloscfl by caps which may be conveniently united to the side frame These caps have been omit-ted from the drawings `in order that the gearing may not be obscured, but it will be understood that. the gearing as .shown in Fig. 1. is all concealed within these inclosing caps and the appearance of the machine is greatly enhanced thereby, there being no visible moving part. appearingr on the outside of the machine. `I have, in` connection with my improved washing machine gearing. Shown an electric motor 13 as the power furnishing element. lt will, however, be understood that other forms of power generators may be employed Without departingr from the essential features of my invention as set; forth in the precedingr part of this .specificat-ion. The upright shaft 30 is extended up beyond the washing machine proper Vin order to utilize the same to drive the rollers of a wringer. The wringer is no part of the l present invention and needv be referred to briefly as consisting of a frame 55 having llt? the usual wringer rolle'r's' V56 and 5T, the latter roller beingrdriven from the shaft 30 through a'r common A,form of gearing which is inclosed in a gearbox 58 and from which a shaft 59 is driven, the latter shaft being suitably connectedwith the wringen roller 57. 'The wsinger is mounted upon a swing ing support l(i0 which maybe swung over and to one side of the washing machine as is usual in the case of swinging wringer snpports.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an improved gearin for washing machines, a frame, a Clot ies receptacle mounted therein, one side of said frame having provision for supporting a reduction gear on the innei side thereof, a reduction gear so mllnted on the inner side of said side frame, an upright shaft supported in bearin immediately upon the outer sido of sait side frame, drivin gears interposed between said upright sha 't and the reduotion gears in bearings on said side frame, a clutciicontrolled gear mounted in bearings on said side frame and arranged to transmit the power from said upright shaft, a transmission gear mounted in a. bearing in said Yside frame and meshing with said clutch-com trolled gear, and a suitable connection between said transmission gear and the clothes receptacle for imparting movement to said clothes receptacle.

2. In a caring for washing machines, e frame consisting of two side members and suitable cross braces therefor, a clothes receptacle pii'otally| mounted in said frame, one of said side tramo members being provided with stud shafts, gears mounted on the inside of said side frame member on two of said stud shafts, an upright shaft mounted in bearings on the outside of said side frame member and driven from thegears on the inside of said side frame member, a gear mounted upon another of said stud shafts anddriven from said upright shaft, and a driving connection between said last-named gear and the clothes receptacle, said driving connection being arranged on the inner side of said side frame member.

3. In a gearing for washing machines,` the combination of a supporting frame inciud ing two side members, three stud shafts mounted in bearings provided in one of said side frame` members` a washing cylinder supported by said frame, initial driving gears supported on two of said stud shaftson the inside of said side frame member, an upright driving shaft mounted in bearings on the outside of said side frame member and driven from said initial gears, a transmission gear mounted on the other of said stud shafts and driven from said upright shaft and a connection between said last-name stud shaft and the washing receptacle for imparting motion to the latter.

4. An imlnoved gearing for washing mucbincs, comprising side frame members, one of said side frame members heilig provided with a. plurality of stud shafts, a clothes receptacle mounted in said side frame members, driving reduction gears mounted on two of said stud shafts on the inside of said side frame member, a horizontal transmission gear mounted on one of said stud shafts on the outer side of said side 'frame member and in proximity thereto, an upright transmission Shaft provided with upper and lower bearings on the outer side of said side trame member, a gear on the lower portion thereof in mesh with said horizontal gear, a transmission gear and clutch on the upper portion of said upright shaft, a third stud shaft mounted in said side frame member, a, second horizontal transmission gear mounted on said lastfnannd stud shaft on the out side of said side frame member and meshing with the transmission gear on the upper portion of said upright shaft, and a crank and connecting rod connected to said last-named stud shaft on the inside of said side frame menibcr and to the washing receptacle, and means for driving said reduction ears.

5. n a gearing of the character specified, a supporting frame including two side frame members, a series ot stud shafts mounted`1n bearings in one of saidside frame members and two of which are in vertical nlinement, a washing cylinder mounted in said supporting frame, reduction driving gears mounted on two of said stud shafts on the inside of said side frameV member, a crank and Connecting rod mounted on one of the vertically alined stud shafts and connected to said washing cylinder, an upright transmission shaft mounted in bearings projected from the outer side of said side frame member and geared respectively to the stud shaft supporting one of the reduction gears, and the stud shaft to which said crank and connecting rod are connected.

(i. A washing cylinder, a supporting frame comprising side frame members one of which is constructed and arranged to wholly support the driving mechanism thereof, driving mechanism comprising reduction gears mounted on the interior of said side frame memberan upright transmission shaft mounted in bearings on the exterior of said side frame member, said shaft being Operatively connected respectively to said reduction gears and to said washing cylinder, a gear on said upright shaft connecting it with the washing cylinder and being freel rotatable on said upright shaft, and clutch devices on said upright shaft connecting said gear with said shaft.

7. A supporting frame comprising two side members, one of seid side members being provided with horizontally disposed bearings and a. less number of vertically disframe members in which it is mounted, a posed bearin s, n washing cylinder mounted main driving shaft, an upright shaft geared between sai side frame members, stud thereto, connections between the upright shafts mounted in said horizontal bearings, shaft; and the clothes oontainer vfor imparto reduction driving ears mounted on the ining :tn oscillating movement to the latter 35 side of said side rame member on two of from the rotary 'movement of the driving Said stud shafts, an upright transmission. shaft, and a wringer supporting member, shaft mounted on thelexterior side of said said wringer suppoiting member and the Side frame in two of the vertical bearings elements of the driving gear being mounted 10 thereof, said upright sliaftbeing geared to wholly on one of the side frame meinbtrs 40 one of the said two stud shafts, n. loose gear und removable therewith :is a unit. on said upright transmission shaft@ gear on 10. In n driving gear for washing maanother of said stud shafts in mesh 'with said oliii'ies, a supiiortingf frame comprisingr two loose` ear, a crank connected to seid lush side frame members, a washing receptacle 15 name stud shaft and to the washing c ylmounted between said eide frame members, 45

inder, and a clutch connected with said upa wriiiger, driving means for said washing right shaft and adapted to connect said reeeiitiiole, driving means for said wringer, loose gear with the uprightshuft and to die and n. niiiin driving mechanism common Connect it therefrom. to both the driving means of the wash- 20 8. In a drivingr gear for wzifshiiig nniingr reooptmle und the driving means of o chines, the combination of :in oevillziting the wringt-r. said inziin driving meelm clothes receptacle, a fi'iinir supporting sziivl nisrn being: sui'iported wholly on one of the clothes receptacle includingr two side freine said eide frame iiieinher. .find the driving members, driving means, and u. wringei' ineens for the washing rooeptnoleinnd lthe f5 supporting member, said drivingr ineens4 und driving menne for the wringei' being likeL l,

Wringel supporting member being mounted wiso mounted upon the salme side frame wholly on one. of the side friinn' members member, and removable as e unit therewith. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

9. In a driving gear for washing inui 30 ohines, an oscillating clothes rontziiner. side JAAIES L. C011 FIELD. 

